Hush Money and Wildcats - Pets In Marlow History

As in the modern day keeping pets was popular in Marlow's past. Dogs were the most popular though a good many kept were used primarily as guard dogs, sporting animals or working dogs first and companion animals (if at all) second.

Sale adverts, court cases, recorded memories and dog show results tell us that Victorian Marlovians kept toy dogs, fox terriers, bulldogs, bull terriers, lurchers, greyhounds, cocker and other spaniels, retrievers, fox terriers, collies and Newfoundlands amongst other breeds.

Lurchers were primarily used for blood sports and poaching purposes.

In 1878 a spaniel puppy advertised in the Reading Mercury would set you back 10 shillings sixpence.

A Dog Tax applied 1796 to 1882. This was in addition to the cost of a dog licence for each animal kept except sheepdogs, imposed from 1867 onwards. I have found no local prosecutions for avoiding dog tax but those for failing to have a dog licence were two a penny. It has been estimated that nationally the compliance rate for having a licence in Victorian England was only around 50 per cent. Marlow's constables however were zealous in seeking out dog owners without licences, securing fines from them. In 1878 each licence cost 7 shillings sixpence, an eye watering amount for poor families and the obvious reason why virtually all prosecutions for not having a licence were of the poor. They often used their dogs for the night time poaching of rabbits, hares and pheasants. Ferrets were also used for rabbiting but the low number of Marlow prosecutions for that suggest that it was not as common.

Taking a dog out in the countryside could be risky. William Clayton Esquire had iron dog spikes all around his game preserve near Moor Common in the 1810s. A dog belonging to a Mr Deane [probably John Deane] accidentally entered this land when chasing a hare and was impaled. The poor animal died as soon as he was freed from the spike. It was the fifth dog to have so died in the space of a few years and Mr Deane took Clayton to court.

The estate staff of Clayton were evasive when questioned about how the spikes came to be present. The defence implied that they were intended only to kill foxes imported from aboard and let loose locally. Who was thought to be releasing such foxes does not seem to have been said. Though bringing in foxes to replace those slaughtered by the hunt did occur in this period releases would be into the protected and contained estates of hunt supporters not just into the countryside at random and I find no reference anywhere to the importation of animals from abroad for this purpose.

In any event the judge refused to except any version of events other than that Clayton had ordered the spikes put up in order to kill dogs. He savaged Clayton for this illegal practice and said a woman or child who mistook their way could just have easily been spiked. £15 in damages were awarded to Mr Deane.

Dogs themselves could be a danger of course. In 1882 three dogs at Bisham Abbey were attacked by an aggressive roaming dog, one receiving injuries so severe that it had to be put down. The same aggressive dog later gave a nasty bite to 13 year old village girl Annie May. The local constable found the animal and shot it. 

That dog was fortunately not infected with rabies but the disease was a real problem for our ancestors. Rumours of sightings of mad dogs anywhere locally struck fear into the town. Searchers went out to try to find such dogs and shoot them before they could spread the disease to other animals or people. Outbreaks of rabies nevertheless occurred in Marlow and Turville in the summer of 1896 and in Marlow again in 1925. During such times the movement of dogs to other areas was banned and all dogs had to be muzzled in public. The requirement to have your dog muzzled was also enforced at other times, seemingly haphazardly.

In 1896 Edward Suthall a farmer of Handy Cross was jailed for refusing to pay a fine for having a dangerous unmuzzled dog which had repeatedly attacked the Marlow constable PC Tapping when he was on patrol up there. The judge did not believe the defendant's claim that the dog did not belong to him.

On a happier note dog owners could win prizes by entering them into local events such as the dog show held in the grounds of Spinfield House Marlow in 1883. Both men and women were prizewinners. Successful dogs included some wonderfully named individuals- Pork Pie, Rags and Tatters, Lord Edward, Hush Money, Naphill Scamp, Hughenden Daisy and Comet to name but a few. Spinfield was also the venue for a "pet party" -  that is a fun pet show, in 1912. It was to raise funds to build the new church school (Holy Trinity) and included prizes for both the prettiest and ugliest animal contestants! Entered pets included toads, tortoises, ants and silkworms. (There was also a prize for human babies..)

While eating scraps from the family meal along with what additional meat could be afforded by their owners was normal for most dogs commercial dog biscuits could be bought in Marlow by the early 1890s. There were no pet shops then. Dog food was bought from ironmongers or agricultural suppliers. These businesses would also sell you worming and flea solutions and food for your poultry and pet birds.

The keeping of cage birds, canaries and linnets especially, as pets was popular with women. Virtually all agricultural shows had classes for them. Walter Lovegrove grocer of Marlow High Street was a frequent judge of pet bird and poultry classes throughout the area in the late 1800s. More about the tragic Walter here

No Marlow show in the 1800s had a cat class that I can discover though they were found in other Bucks shows as were classes for pet rabbits (as opposed to rabbits raised for meat) and even pet mice.

Guinea pigs were found as pets in Britain by the 1890s but don't feature in any local shows I can see.

There were plenty of feral cats in the town. Mr Cocks bred actual wildcats at his home near the river. His near neighbour Captain Marshall didn't stop there having a whole menagerie of exotic animals such as elephants and lions. Kathryn has written a whole post on that subject if you are interested here. 

Richard Blake of West Street trained an "enormous" cat to turn tricks. More on him here.

In 1889 Colonel Wethered donated a female  monkey to the Royal Zoological Society- perhaps a pet or why else did he have one?? (This monkey had been brought over from the Congo 3 years before the gift.)  Mrs Coppinger of Thames Lawn certainly owned a "riotsome" monkey in 1890 and liked to take it out on her steam launch Eunice, to the amusement of passers by on the riverbank. Mrs Crashaw was rather astonishingly reunited in Marlow with a monkey she had lost some time before while living in Kent. Known as Jacko, it had apparently found its way into the hands of a pair of Italian youths who had come to Marlow coincidentally with it as a performing animal. Mrs Crawshay saw it in the street, recognised some markings it had and found the animal remembered the tricks she had taught him. Arrangements were eventually made for Jacko to be returned to its former owner. The youths were compensated for the 30s they had paid for the monkey. The seller had been a stranger whom they had met in Portsmouth, or so they said. 

Sources:

Bazaar Exchange and Mart and Journal of the Household. Volume 47. 1892.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_licence

The Shooters Guide, Ninth Edition. By B Thomas.

Maidenhead Advertiser 1st February 1882 and Bucks Herald 8th February 1896 British Library via the BNA.

The Zoologist, A monthly journal of Natural History by Newman West 1881.

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer September 3 1887, 26 July 1912. Slough Library. 

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London - W H Fowler 1893. 

©Marlow Ancestors. If using this research please credit this blog and link here (but you are welcome to use it). Thanks.

Historic Cost Of Living In Marlow *expanded May 2026*

Updated May 2026

Historic cost of living in Marlow (up to 1939) Part One. Part Two concerns the historic cost of fun, leisure and transport in Marlow and is available here. We have gathered these from many period sources- adverts, court cases, letters, auction information etc all specific to Marlow. To put these costs into context see Charlotte's post on wages in Marlow history here. A post about the Marlow cost of living for the 1940s -60s is now available here.

Homes:

(All unfurnished unless stated) 

Rent of Widmere Manor, per year 1518 = £12.

Rent of a 2 bedroom cottage with garret, wash house, wood house and garden in St Peters Street 1785 = £6 per annum. 

Rent of Albion House West Street 1817, per year = £63.

Annual rent of a 2 bed cottage and garden Dean Street 1829 = £3 10 shillings.

Annual rent of a 4 bed, 2 reception cottage near Holy Trinity 1861 = £14.

Weekly rent of a small cottage West Street, 1862 = 2 shillings 6d.

Annual rent for The Parsonage, St Peter's Street, 1865 = £50.

Annual rent for a 2 bed, 2 reception cottage with a small garden in Quoiting Square, 1866 = £11.

Weekly rent of a 5 room cottage with a garden in West Street 1872 = 2 shillings 6d.

Max rent a lady and gent were prepared to pay for 4 unfurnished rooms in a "genteel house" in or near Marlow, 1879, per year = £16.

Annual rent of a six bed house with walled garden in the High Street, 1879 =£45.

Combined sale price for two 2 bed houses in Station Road 1891 = £250 for the two.

Annual rent of Court Garden estate, (17 room house, and 33 and a half acre grounds including lodge entrance, stabling, kitchen gardens, vineries, peach houses, boat house and creek to river) 1891 = £225. By 1898 this had risen to £300.

Danesfield Estate 1896 [mansion, gardens, park, farm etc] sale price = £36,000

Freehold house Weir Cottage sale price 1896 = £1,930.

Building plots in the newly laid out Seymour Park Road suitable for bungalows or small villas 1899 = £40-50 (mostly not sold though!)

Yearly rent of a 4 bed, 3 reception room house in the High Street with an interior w c but no bathroom 1899 = £45

Yearly rent of a 2 bed bungalow in Newtown Road early 1900s = £25. 

Down payment required to secure one of several building plots on Newtown Road 1904 (cash only, no credit) = £25

Weekly rent of semi detached cottage Wycombe Road 1905 = 6 shillings 2 pence.

Rent for a semi detached 3 bed villa in Little Marlow Road 1905 = 9 shillings a week.

Rent of Quarry Wood House 1908 (7 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, cellarage, conservatory, large garden, coach house, stabling) = £55 a year.

Rent of a 2 up 2 down cottage Dean Street with yard and outbuildings 1909 = £13 a year.

Rent of a "prettily furnished"  2 reception 3 bedroom house with bathroom, near to river, 1912 = 2 and a half guineas a week. Seems very expensive compared to Quarry Wood House above, which shows the sharp difference between furnished properties and those that were not. 

Rent of a brick cottage with two bedrooms, kitchen, scullery, store room and pantry (no living room), at Highfields on the outskirts of Marlow 1913 = £18 4 shillings a year.

Board and residence for a gentleman as paying guest in home Station Rd, inclusive of meals etc, 1913 = £1 a week. 

Rent of 3 bed, 2 downstairs rooms house Marlow 1914 =  5 shillings 6 pence a week.

7 room house to let, includes bathroom. Furnished, 1921 = 30s a week.

Rent of the one of the newly erected concrete pre fab 6 room cottages at West Str/Spinfield, 1924 per week - 10s. Only applicants with children need apply!  (These rents are deliberately set lower than local average)

A 4 room detached cottage with gas supply, for sale Marlow, 1925 = £525m

Single room to let to a lady, unfurnished, 1926 = 4s 6d a week.

To let in Wycombe Road, 3 bed detached house with three quarter acre garden and garage, 1932 = £80 per annum.

To let modern 3 bed, 2 reception room semi in Marlow with bathroom and electric lighting, 1933 = £1 per week.

3 room bungalow with 1/4 acre garden, Marlow, 1934, to rent = 11s a week. 

5 room bungalow known as The Rest, Oak Tree Road, with "splendid garden" and garage, 1935 = £700 freehold or would rent for £60 a year. 

And to furnish or maintain your home:

Print showing the cavalry of the Bucks Yeomanry, bought from an artist selling out of the Crown, Market Square, 1829 = 1 guinea.

Print of "North West View of Great Marlow Church" by Thomas Rumble, 1835 = 1 shilling 6 pence. 

Silver polish from Foottit's Chemist, High Street, 1859 per large bottle = 3s.

Cheapest clock available from Mr Stradling, "practical clock and watchmaker", High Street, 1862 = 7s 6d. 

A metal teapot, from the High Street shop of John Boroday, 1864 = 6s.

A Harper Twelvetrees washing machine (hand powered) ordered from agent  J Meakes ironmonger in Spittal Street and delivered free, 1864 = 50-60s.

Gas from the Great Marlow Gas Company per 1000ft consumed, 1866, = 7s 6d. This price is seen as extortionate! In 1897 the price was only 4s 6d for the same.

A ton of coal delivered from Walter Porter, whose wharf was at the Railway Station, 1873 = 37 shillings. In 1892 it was possible to obtain good coal for just 20s -21s a ton, delivered so the price fluctuated.

Tin of metal polish from Clifton's grocers in the High Street, 1885 = 1s.

Pair of solid silver salt cellars and spoons in a case from Rowes the jewellers in High Street, 1894 = 13 shillings 6 pence.

Oil-fueled table lamp, from Jasper Collins of Chapel Street, 1895 = From 9 and a half pence. 

Smokeless kerosene oil for lamps from Jasper above 1896 = 7d a gallon.

Expected cost of hiring a cart from the Marlow Urban District Council to empty your cesspit (you providing the horse to pull it and the labour to actually do the emptying) 1897 = 3 shillings 6d plus 5 shillings refundable deposit to ensure you returned cart in good condition.

Silver plated toast rack from Rowes, High Street 1897 =  from 3s 6d.

Bed quilt, from J Morgan & Sons, 1901 = from 2 to 30 shillings.

Cost of hiring the most basic small gas cooking stove from the Marlow Gas Co, per quarter 1901 = 2 shillings (includes repairs but not the cost of the gas itself or the rental of the gas meter)

Dust proof alarm clock from Rowes jewellers in the High Street 1904 = 4 shillings.

"Jewel" Anthracite stove (the latest tech with smokeless operation and little maintenance required they say) from Eddowes ironmongers 1909 = from £2 17 shillings.

1 pound in weight tin of paint for your walls, many colours to choose from, Barnard's Stores Chapel Street 1909 = 3 shillings.

Plate glass mirror with oak frame, from Barnard's as above, 1909 = 6 and 1/2 pence

Occasional table from Cudes furnishers in the High Street 1909 = from 5 shillings 6d.

Complete bedroom suite from G H Cude as above, 1909 = £2 17s 6d Note this didn't include a bed. It comprised dressing chest, wash stand, chair and towel stand, enamelled in any colour.

1 broom from Newman & Chalk, High Street, 1910 = 1s 9d.

Van load of firewood, mostly beech from G Dean & Son, 1920 = 10s .

Bunch of flowers, delivered free locally, from Coryton, Marlow Bottom, 1928 = from 1s. No telephone so send a postcard or call in to place an order. 

Second hand ice chest (to hold a block of ice for keeping food stored in the lower part cool. A no electricity "fridge"), 3ftx2ft, 1929 = 35s

A ton of coal, delivered by G E Stevens, Oxford Rd, 1934 = 38s for "London Brights" coal for general purpose use, 42s for Steven's "22 hards" blend "splendid for open grates" or the very best coal 54s. 

Second hand timber built garage, to fetch from Winchbottom Lane, 16x10ft, 1935 = £6 10s

Murphy brand radio set from R J Platt Radio Shop, 1937 = from £6 10s.

1 dozen daffodils, picked while you wait, from Millhouse Farm, Marlow Common, 1939 = 2d.

For the garden:

Gravel from Mr Allum / Allam Bovingdon Green 1874, per cart load = 5 pence.

A dozen tulip bulbs from Elliott's in the High Street, 1881 = 1 shilling.

Flower seeds from Elliott's in the High street 1882, per packet = 3d.

Cauliflower seeds from Elliott's in High Street 1882, per packet = 3d.

Broccoli seeds as above = 6d.

Lettuce seeds as above = 3d.

1lb of raffia grass for tying in garden plants, from Newman & Chalk, High Street 1898 = 6d.

Loam ideal for growing roses. From the brick works in Newtown Road (which also sold gravel for your garden paths) 1910 = 1s 6d a load.

A Ransome motor lawnmower from Batting & Sons, 1933 = from £22 17s 6d with 5% discount for cash payment.

Food and drink / preparing it: 

A half peck loaf of bread, price as fixed by MP William Burt Esq during severe winter of 1767/8 =  6d [a half peck loaf was the typical loaf size at this period, weighing 8lbs 11oz. Remember that poor ate bread for every meal, and sometimes only bread for a meal]

A pot of beer [equivalent to half a pint], regulation price in town 1846 = 4 pence. Went up to 5 pence in 1847.

"Large" loaf of bread Little Marlow 1847 = 4 pence.

3lb beef from Rachel Hall's butcher's shop West Street 1850 = 1 shilling.

2lb basic bread from Charlotte Sawyer baker of West Street 1851 = 2 pence. 

4lb loaf of finest white bread from baker Joseph Maskell of West Street, 1857 = 7d

2 ounce packet of coffee from George Cannon the bookseller (many booksellers and stationers sold tea and coffee too), 1858 = 2 shillings.

Cost of one pigs foot (yum!) in Marlow 1859 = 2 pence.

Pint milk from Westhorpe Farm Little Marlow 1860, delivered in Marlow = 1 and a half pence.

A pound of "nutritious" arrowroot, as prepared by native Christian converts at missionary stations in the South Sea Islands, from Fullicks, 1861 = 1s 6d 

A pound of pure unadulterated China tea from George Cannon, High Street 1861 = from 3s 6d.

1 quart of soup, from the town soup kitchen, cost subsidised by subscribers, 1862 = 1 penny. (Available only to any poor with a ticket, twice per week over winter.)

Tea (food and drink) served at the Temperance Societies rural fete at Harleyford 1865 = 9d. 

A pint bottle of Guinness Extra Stout from Fullicks and Coulton Grocers in the High Street, which was also an off licence, in 1867 = 4 sh 6d.

Supper of bread, bacon and potatoes served at The Carriers Arms, Wycombe Road, 1873 = 6d, plus a pint of beer for 2d.

A 4lb loaf from Mr Brooks on the Causeway, 1873 = 6d., a 2lb loaf from Henry Turner of West Street 1875 = 3 and a half pence.

Bottle of "Castle A" sparkling hock (white wine), from Edward Hewett, 1874 = 2s 9d . (Prices had recently increased due to demand created by "favourable recommendations from the medical profession" the makers said)

One orange from Walter Lovegrove the grocer in the High Street 1878 = 1 penny.

A rabbit from Coster's grocers in West Street, 1879 = 1s 7d.

Tin of biscuits from Joseph Dorsett's grocery shop 1881 = 4 shillings

A pound of "very fine" Black Hamburg grapes, sold by the gardener of Suffolk Lodge to the public, 1883 = 2s 6d.

A bottle of claret from the Greyhound Hotel, Spittal Street = 2s 6d.

Jar of marmalade or glass tumbler of blackberry jam from Robert and Sarah Ann Loosemoore's Spittal Street grocers 1885 = 4 and a half pence. 

Cost of hiring one of the new parish allotments Berwick Road 1886 = 6 pence [6d] a pole. Foxes Piece allotments 1908 = 10 pence per pole.

1 pint of gin, served in a jug with two glasses - Hare and Hounds, Red Pits, Henley Road, 1886 = 2 shillings.

A pound of pork sausages from Stillmans Spittal Street, 1888 = 9d. (Or go for cheaper beef ones at 6d a pound)

Pot of lemon curd, from confectioner William Kempster, High Street 1888 = 1 shilling (Confectioners didn't just sell sweets but all kinds of sweet treats e.g pastries too. Most were also or primarily bakers).

A bottle of rum from Clifton grocers and wine merchant High Street, 1888 = 2s 3d.

A cup of coffee from the Mission Rooms, Dean Street 1891 = 1 penny. This was subsidised in the hope it would divert the locals from alcohol!

Bread, butter and tea at Hurley Lock 1893 = 6d. This seen as a real bargain.

1lb tin of biscuits from Death & Sons 1894, "suitable for gifting" = 9d.

Home cured bacon from Joseph Dorsett, mild cure, 1894 = from 6d per pound. 

1 egg from Wymer's Farm 1895 = 1 penny.

Bottle of Spey Royal Whiskey, from Smith & Co, High Street, 1895 = 4d plus 1d deposit on the bottle. 

1lb "Special" Ginger Nuts from Death & Sons Bakers 1895 = 4d.

Bottle of whiskey from Smith and co, High Street 1896 = 4 shillings plus 1 shilling returnable deposit for the bottle.

Fancy box of dates, part of Christmas range, from Walter Lovegrove grocer of the High Street 1896 = 9d.

A dozen bottles of Jacob's Pilsner Beer from Walter Lovegrove grocer, 1896 = 5 shillings.

14 mince pies for Christmas from Death and Sons bakers 1897 = 1 shilling, a pound of mincemeat for Christmas from Browns in the High Street 1909 = 6 and a half pence, a pound of Christmas "New Marlovian Shortbread" from the same 1909 = 8 pence.

1lb lard from the Co-Op Market Square 1897 =  3 and a half pence.

Can of salmon from the Co-Op Market Square 1897 = 5d.

Wholemeal loaf from Death's Bakery 1899 = 1 and a half pence small, 3 pence large. (Weight not given)

Grapes from A E Howard, grocer High Street 1900 = 6d a pound.

York ham from A E Howard, High Street 1900 = 1s 2d  per pound.

Fresh butter from A.E Howard 1900 = 1 shilling 2 pence per lb. In 1902 it cost from 1s a lb from Howard's successor Frank Over.

Ripe stilton as above = 1s 4d per lb.  

1lb finest pork sausages from A.E Howard, High Street 1900 = 6d to 8 and a half d.

Half gallon of ale or stout from High Street grocer A E Howard 1901 = 8d.

A pint of beer at the bar of the Crown Hotel 1901 = 4d. A glass of beer cost 2d in the bar or 3d in the coffee room of the Crown. 

1lb of finest Ceylon tea, 1902, from Frank Overs Stores, High Street = 1s 6d (Frank took over A E Howard's premises in 1902). Alternatively 1lb of special blend tea from another High Street grocer Alfred Illsley would cost from 1s 4d per lb in the same year. 

Demerara sugar per lb, Frank Over's Stores, High Street 1903 = 2d.

Bag of self raising flour from Brown's Market Square 1905 = 3d.

3 pint tin teapot from Barnard's Stores Chapel Street 1909 = 6 and a half d.

4 pint iron gas kettle, from Barnard's as above, 1909 = 6 and half d.

1 cup and saucer, from Barnard's, 1909 = 1d.

Fancy pastry cutters from Barnard's as above, 1909 = 1 and half d.

7 lb (yes 7) jar mixed fruit jam, Barnard's as above, 1909 =  1s 4d plus 3d extra for the jar.

Large tin pineapple chunks, from Barnard's, 1909 = 4 and half d. (In 1929 a tin of pineapple from International Stores cost 5d).

Hindquarter of best Canterbury lamb, from E Hogg butcher of Market Square 1910 = 7 and a half d per lb. 

1 pint of soup served at the Communal Kitchen, High Street 1917 = 2d (Bring your own cutlery). 

1/2 pint portion of stew with dumplings, in Communal Kitchen as above = 2d

Treacle Tart, as above 1917 = 2 and a half pence.

Quartern loaf of bread (4lb, a traditional loaf size), from Co op Stores, Station Rd, 1917 = 10&1/2 d

A lb of damson from Neighbours in Market Square 1917, = 1 and a half pence. Delivered free.

Tin of haddock (no size given) from Barnard's Stores, 1921 = 4&1/2d (this is a special offer price as they have just taken in 1,000 of the tins apparently).

Mitre margarine "made like butter, looks like butter, tastes like butter, made with butter" , from International Stores, High Street 1923 = 10d per llb.

Large pork pie, available from The Queen pub Marlow, 1923 = 6d. Delivered fresh daily from Broomfield's bakery, High Wycombe. 

3lb bag of "Tastit" self raising flour from grocer Mrs Coventry in Chapel Street, 1923 = 8d "the cheapest and best money can buy". 

Lunch for hotel guests at the George and Dragon 1924 = 3 shillings 6d.

Large tin Ovaltine (weight not given) available from various Marlow shops, 1926 = 4s 6d. "Builds up brain, nerve and body"

Bottle return charge for bottled beer sold to be consumed off the premises at the George & Dragon, 1928 = 2d. (A label is stuck to the bottles by the barman when purchased to identify them. You pay the 2d charge then and get it refunded when the same bottle is bought back. If you don't, you loose the 2d which the landlord has then to pay the brewery for the loss of the bottle.)

1lb good cooking potatoes from Tomlinson the potato merchant, Dean Street. (He's also a corn and coal merchant and seedsman), 1929 - 1d (which seems cheap compared to other suppliers in South Bucks).

A 5lb cake from Dorsett's grocers 1930 = 5s.

Bottle of "toasting port", 1917 vintage, from Budgen's Stores - grocer/wine merchant, High Street, 1932 = 7s 6d.

2 pounds of oats from International Stores Marlow 1933 = 3 and a half d.

Tin of pilchards in tomato sauce from International Stores 1933 = 5 and a half d..

A pound of Empire Cheese from International Stores 1933 = 8d.

1lb pound of Burford Marvel tomatoes, picked while you wait, at Coryton, Marlow Bottom, 1933 = 6d.

Full course dinner at The Crown Hotel, c 1934 = 5 shillings. Cheaper dinners available on request! The most expensive breakfast available in the same year cost 3s 6d but sadly we do not know exactly what food was on offer for that. 

Can of grapefruit, from the Chesham & High Wycombe Co Operative Society Society shop, in Station Road, 1934 = 8 & 1/2 d.

1 quart milk from the Seymour Court Farm dairy, delivered, 1935 = 7d.

Large tin of red plums, sweetened, from Brown's, High Street "the Quality shop" 1935 = 7&1/2d

8lbs loaf sugar from Dorsett's grocers, 1937  = 2 shillings.

1lb tea from Dorsett's grocers, 1937 = £2 2 shillings.

 

Tin of assorted chocolates from Barksfield Brothers in the High Street, 1937 = 6 shillings 6 pence.

Medical and Health Costs:

Tincture for scurvy, per bottle from Mr Hubbard, 1768 = 1s 6d.

Cure for bladder / kidney stones from John Howe, patent medicine supplier (and stationer and bookseller) High Street 1784 = 2 shillings a bottle.

Box of "Pectoral Lozenges of Tolu", for hoarseness, asthma, coughs etc, from John Howe as above, 1785 = 1 shilling. 

Dr Waites Celebrated Worm Medicine in the form of gingerbread flavour "nuts", per 13, from Miss Hawes, 1792= 1 shilling 1&1/2d. 

Cure for itching and "skin eruptions" from the shop of Miss Hawes, per bottle 1815 = 2 shillings 9 pence.

A "cure" in a bottle for cholera from Little Marlow quack medicine supplier 1851 = 1 shilling.

Large bottle of Dr Torren's one minute toothache cure from Foottit's chemist in the High Street, 1857 = 1 shilling.

Trowbridge Pills Of Life And Beauty" (actually indigestion pills for women!) from Foottit's chemist, 1860 = 1 shilling 1 and a half pence per packet.

A pair of "patent pantheoscopic" glasses for all types of vision difficulties from Stradling's the jewellers /watchmakers in the High Street, 1862 = 5 shillings. More basic glasses could be got there for 1s 6d.

Woodcock's wind pills from Foottit's chemists in the High Street 1862 = from 1sh 6d a box.

A small bottle of Johnson's Sarsparilla And Bark Pills for skin eruptions (which also cures scurvy, liver complaints, bowel problems and dyspepsia while they're at it) from Foottit's chemist in the High Street, 1864 = 13 and a half pence. Especially recommended for anyone about to embark on a course of sea bathing or a trip to the tropics.

Bottle of Heald's Essence for "head ache, face ache, and ear ache" from George Cannon in the High Street, 1864 = 7 and a half pence.

Orchard's cure for deafness from Foottit's chemist in the High Street, 1873 =13 and a half pence per bottle.

Dr Wilkinson's midwifery fee, 1874 = 10 shillings 6d.

Herrington's Balsamic Cough Elixir from Banbury's chemist shop Marlow per bottle, 1874 = from 13 and a half pence. A bargain 11 shilling extra large bottle available. This elixir was fir all coughs including those by consumption.

Complete set of artificial teeth, upper and lower, as made by "legally qualified  surgical and mechanical dentist" William Gregory of Maidenhead. Sold through Banbury's Chemist Marlow, every other Tuesday.  1875 = £3 3 shillings. Liberal discounts for mechanics and servants. Consultation free. 

Bottle of Banbury's own label tasteless Digestive Pills for indigestion, from William Banbury, chemist, High Street, 1876 =7&1/2d. William says the population of Marlow suffer from digestive complaints to "an enormous extent" and in fact very few people don't need his pills. 

Course of first aid training by St John's ambulance at Marlow, 1883= 5 shillings or free to firemen or members of the Royal Bucks Volunteers.

A bottle of "invigorating" health saline from Charles Dye's Pharmacy in the High Street 1896= from 1 shilling.

Tube of Burnolia cooling cream for sunburnt skin, especially marketed at boaters, tennis players and cyclists, from W Baxters chemist High Street 1896 = 6 pennies.

Oleatum Japanese rheumatism remedy from Baxters chemist 1896 = from 1 shilling a bottle.

Bottle of the "best nerve and brain tonic" Sulphurized Quinine and Iron, from W Baxter as above, 1897  = 1 shilling 9 pence.

A box of Harris's anti-nit children's hair pomade from Harman's Chemist 1908 = 4 and a half pence.

Bottle of a cure for neuralgia from Snow's Chemist in the High Street 1909 = 1 shilling.

Snow's exclusive bronchial balsam from Snow's chemist High Street 1912 = from 1 shilling.

Nostrolene naval spray to guard against hay fever, flu, thrust infections and head colds from Snow's Chemist High Street 1919  = 1s 3d.

Extraction of a tooth and an artificial replacement, by the American Dental Co who attend Marlow weekly, 1920 = 2s 6d (reduced prices available to servants, soldiers and seamen and their dependents).

A pair of good plain nail scissors from Rowe the jeweller, High Street 1921 = 2 shillings.

Education:

Yearly fee for a pupil Mrs Trash's boarding school for young ladies 1799 = 30 guineas.

Cost of attending the Royal Military Academy, West Street if you did not have a father in the military 1802 = £100 a year (boarding). A discount of between 50 and 90 per cent was available to sons of army men. Orphans in these circumstances paid nothing. The pricing structure changed over the years.

Yearly fee for attending Prospect House Academy boarding school for boys 1849 = 22 to 25 guineas.

Annual fee for boarders aged 5-8 attending the Misses Westbrooks prep school for boys and girls in Chapel Street 1850 = 18 Guineas. Daily pupils 4 guineas. Laundry 2 guineas extra. 

Mail order school books written by Joseph Guy the former geography teacher at the Royal Military College Marlow, 1852, each = 1 shilling to 9 shillings.

Day pupil cost for boys attending George Verney's school - the place for farmers and tradesmen to give their sons a "sound business education" so he says.  1857 = £5 a quarter with extras "a mere trifle".

Day pupil cost for a quarter at the Misses Winter's Preparatory School For Young Gentleman, West Street Marlow (there was a separate school for girls), 1865 = 12 shillings 6d. This did not include optional music, singing or drawing classes.

Annual fee for boarding pupil (boys) at Marlow Place School for boys 1870 = 70 guineas. Some subjects cost extra.

Italian classes for the young ladies at Chapel House School, per quarter 1881 = 15 guineas.

Cost of 10 dance lessons at Downshire House School for girls (open to non-pupils) 1882, = 1 guinea .

Annual fee for scholars at Borlase who did not have a Foundation scholarship, 1882 = £1.

Cost of painting class for ladies, per term, as organised by the Marlow centre of the Technical Education Committee, held at the Institute, 1903 = 10s 6d. (A two hour class a week). General classes in French, shorthand, chemistry, woodcarving (popular with women) and maths cost 2s 6d per term with sessions lasting between 90 minutes and 2 hours a week at the Institute.

Annual boarding fee at Borlase 1906 = £54. 

Annual fee for girls at a school (boarding) in Glade Road 1909 = 18 guineas.

Clothing and Footwear etc:

Printed cotton for dress making, per yard, from Messrs Wilkinson and Burrough, 1789 = from 10d to 4s 6d (These gentleman were selling the items at a reduced price as they have bought up the discounted stock of a London draper who was giving up his business)

A petticoat, Marlow 1850 = 2 shillings.

Pair trousers from John Morgan's drapers and outfitters shop in the High Street 1859 = 7 shillings.

Value of a man's smock frock stolen from a Turville farm in 1858 = 4s 

Man's coat from John Collins Clark tailor 1861 = £2 12 shillings 6 pence

Cheapest silver watch available from Mr A Stradling, watch and clockmaker, High Street 1862 = 15 shillings. 

Pair of man's slippers from Mr East shoemaker of Marlow, 1863 = 2s 6d.

Pair of boots (probably top quality) from Charles Phillips bootmaker, 1864 = £1 1 shilling.

Gold wedding ring, from Stradlings, High Street, 1865 = from 7s 6d

Cost of hiring a Britannia sewing machine as hairdresser Robert Pearse of Marlow did in 1876, per week = 2 shillings. Ideal for making your own clothing. 

"Fancy dress material" for making your own fine dress, from draper etc Alfred Davis, High Street, 1880 = 1&3/4d - 4&3/4d per yard

Child's ready made jacket, from Alfred Davis as above, 1880 = 6&3/4d

Reward for finding and returning a fancy striped silk shawl lost near Marlow, 1880 = 5s

Good quality overcoat and trousers from Richard Barnes, tailor of Spittal Street 1885 = £3 10s

Ladies watch, solid silver, guaranteed 10 years from Rowe's the watchmaker / jewellers, High Street 1894 = £25 (the cheapest one advertised by Rowes  in 1897 was just 15s 6d- probably silver plated only).

Special all wool trousers from tailor Alfred Davis, High Street 1894 = 10s 9d

Beaver overcoat for a gentleman, with velvet collar and tweed lining from Morgan's 1895 = 21s

 "Suitings" (men's suits) from James Gray, tailor, High Street 1895. Made to suit any shape = from 45 shillings. 

"Special Quality" made to measure  flannel trousers James Morgan & Sons 1897 = 12 shillings 6 pence. Other qualities from 10 shillings 6 pence.

Special Quality made to measure tweed suit James Morgan & Sons 1897 = 35 shillings. Other qualities from 27 shillings 6 pence.

"Ironside" brand tweed and serge suits, to measure, from A E Sutton General Clothing and Boot Store, West Street. "Fit, style and wear guaranteed" 1897 = from 2 guineas.

Gold scarf pins from Rowes, High Street 1897 = from 2s 6d.

Cheapest gold necklace from Rowes, High Street 1897 = 10s 6d.

Shoes from West Street Post Office (which was also Suttons clothes and shoe shop at this point ) 1899 = from 2 shillings 6 pence a pair.

Men's overcoats from Sutton's as above, 1897= from 3 shillings 6d.

Flannelette for making underclothing, from Morgans as above, 1901  = from 2 and three quarter pence to 8 pence per yard. 

"Lotus" thick soled laced ladies shoes from Langston's Boot and Shoe Warehouse, High Street 1905= 12 shillings 9 pence a pair. 

Tin of black or brown shoe polish from Barnard's Stores Chapel Street 1909 = 1 shilling.

Ladies blouse in "cotton crepe", from James Morgan & Sons, 1920 = 9s 8d. 

Leather gauntlet motoring gloves but "suitable for anything" , from Walter Davis tailor/hosier, 1923 = 3s 6d (extra shilling if lined).

Ready to wear winter suit for men in Wearproof Tweed (a branded item for which Todd was sole local agent), from Frederick Todd, West Street, 1926 = 60s. Youth size 55s. 

Pair of men's flannel trousers in the latest shades of grey, from Morgan's, 1931 = from 6s 11d to 21s.

Delta ladies shoe suitable for "town wear" in "black satin mat kid" leather, also available in the shades "bulrush" and brown, Milward's, High Street, 1933 = 23s 9d (one of the more expensive shoes).

A pair of "topping summer shoes" for young gents, in black or brown suede, from Milward's in the High Street, 1934 = 12s 9d.

Dunlop Wellington's from Milward's, 1935 = from 14s 9d .

Ladies Sunshine Sandals in white green or blue, from Milward's, 1938 = 6s 11d.

Business and farming costs:

Annual rent of a butcher's shop in Lane End (then part of Great Marlow parish) 1757 = £6.

Annual rent of Wethered's brewery premises in the High Street which they had on a repairing lease 1795 = £15.

Annual Rent of Seymour Court Farm 1833 = £172 18 shillings.

1 lamb in Marlow or Little Marlow 1837 = 1 shilling

Annual rent of Fountain Head beer house in High Street with the carpentry workshop attached 1838 = £12 12 shillings.

Team of 3 farm horses sold by Mr Eeles of Lane End, 1843 = 16 guineas.

An ewe sheep, Little Marlow 1849 = 30 shillings.

Rent of land in Great Marlow Common Field per acre 1849  = between £2 15s and £3 .Note that this land was what would be soon known as Wycombe Road Farm, and was subject to some common rights still although this portion was privately rented. The following year the rent was doubled.

Forty pounds in weight of good meadow hay, from Little Marlow, 1852 = 3 shillings.

Rent of Jacques water powered corn mill with associated family residence 1858 = £105.

Rent Westhorpe Farm Little Marlow 1860 per annum = £500.

Annual rent of a combined house and baker's shop with a stable West Street, 1862 = £16.

Cost for a licensed victualler of getting a licence to sell alcohol at a one off event like a fete or cricket match 1862 (a new requirement this year) = 5 shillings. 

Annual rent Hope Beer House, High Street 1865 (a small but newish, purpose built premises) = £15.

A reaping hook from Battings, Marlow 1875 = 1s 10d. Workers who already had their own tools were much more likely to be hired by a farmer.

Rent Wymers Farm 1876, per annum = £68.

A bottle of Wrights Universal Embrocation for horses, cows and sheep (but could be used on chapped human hands too). This cured "joint evil" in lambs, swollen udders in cows, sore feet, lameness and wounds and acted as a fly deterrent. From Foottit's chemist, High Street, 1883 = 2sh 1 and a half pence.

Rent of Dog and Badger Medmenham 1895, per annum = £30 10s.

Rent paid by Spindlo's bakery 1897, per annum  = £30 (this included the house which incorporated the shop, plus a separate bakehouse, flour store and small stable).

Cheapest bullock at Marlow Cattle Market sales 1897, generally = £17.

One first class sheepdog, from Bockmer Farm, 1898 = £1. 

Annual rent of a small  tobacconist shop with living accommodation in the High Street, 1902 = £35.

Annual rent of a double fronted grocer's shop in Marlow High Street with living accommodation, 2 stall stable, two storey warehouse and coachouse 1908 = £80.

Ton of coke from Marlow Gas Company 1909 = £1. Delivery fee 3 pence per ton.

Stable lantern, from Barnard's stores 1909 = 6 and a half pence

Sale price of Holmers Farm (123 acres) Marlow 1910 = £2,150.

A pail of food supplement for stock animals (horses, cows, sheep, pigs), strengthening them, purifying their blood, and encouraging milk flow from J North corn dealer West Street, 1913 = 14 shillings.

Cost of buying Westhorpe Farm Little Marlow 1917 = £5,450.

Nanny goat juvenile from Field House Farm 1917 = £1.

A dozen Rhode Island Red day old chicks, from Seymour Hill Poultry Farm, 1934 = 12s

100 egg incubator secondhand from Woolmer Farm, Marlow Common, 1934 = 50s

A secondhand Chevrolet lorry from the Gibbons secondhand dealership in York Road, 1934 = £35

Personal Care

Exotic scented perfume from Little Marlow supplier W Brown 1844 = from 2 shillings sixpence.

Mail order tablet of high quality soap sent from London to Marlow 1855 = 6 pence [6d].

Hair colouring shampoo from George Cannon the chemist 1866 per packet = 10s 6d.

Butler's Rosemary Hair Cleaner from Footitt chemist High Street (invigorates hair and removes dandruff), per packet 1860= 6 pence [6d] This makes a pint of "hair wash" up.

Marlow Bouquet - a perfume from Baxters chemist in the High Street 1896 = from 1 shilling 6 pence [1s 6d].

Antiseptic tooth powder "cleansing and refreshing", from Walter Duplock chemist, High Street 1906 = from 1 shilling.

Vaseline from Barnard's Stores 1909 = 1 penny a tin.

Tin of tooth powder (for cleaning teeth) from Barnard's 1909 = 1 penny a tin.

Shaving stick from Barnard's Stores, 1921 = 6d

A permanent wave at Milady ladies hairdresser and beauty parlour, West Street 1937 = 15s. Edith Neighbour of Derriford, Newtown charged the same price in 1934. 

Other:

Cheapest gold wedding band available from Stradling the watchmaker, 1861 = 7s 6d

Dutton and Allen and Co Commercial Directory for Bucks with map 1863 = 21 shillings if you were not a subscriber.

13.2 hands high pony 8 years old, and "strong", sold from Oakengrove Farm, 1920 = £45

Second hand navy blue pram, with canopy and hood, 1920 = £7.

Pedigree Alsatian puppy, 1927 = £4.

1905, Smith & Co ad.  Generally a newsagents and bookseller etc, they were one of a number of non grocery stores in Marlow who were agents for one particular brand of tea or other.

Complied by Charlotte and Kathryn Day. 

To find out more about everyday life in old Marlow see the post listing here

For more on the shops etc mentioned above, see the index here

You may also like Food in Victorian Marlow

Sources too numerous to fully list but included:

South Bucks Standard 28 December & 27 March 1908, 15 January, 23 July, 26 November 1909 - Copies from the British Library and accessed via the BNA. August 2020.

Dickens Dictionary of the Thames (Dickens, 1889)

Dickens Dictionary of Thames from Oxford to the Nore (1880 edition, issue 2)

Marlow Guide 1903 &  1905

Information from Kathleen Day, Jane Pullinger and Jean Martin. 

Slough Eton and Windsor Observer October 24 & 31 October 1885; Slough Library

The Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire, 1908. Edited by William Page.

Maidenhead Advertiser 13th January 1875. 

Adverts, receipts, bills, account books, and letters etc. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

More Widows Of The Almshouses

Isabella Mitchell

Isabella after a 10 year wait and at her 12th attempt of trying was successfully elected into an almshouse in 1901. She was at that time living at Cape Town, a virtual shanty town on the edge of Marlow. For more about that place see my post here. As a widow she had survived by working as a servant or charwoman at different times.

Earlier in her life she lived with her husband George in the gardener's lodge at Spinfield House (also called Spinfield Lodge) where George was gardener. 

Isabella married her husband in 1848 at the age of 19. She was born to unmarried mother Ann Holloway. When Isabella was 5 her mother married James Jones, a brewer. On the 1841 Great Marlow census Isabella lived with her stepfather, presumably widowed, and half siblings in a cottage in the Church Yard. That may sound a strange address but there were several homes on the edge of All Saints churchyard and so described in those days. Isabella worked as a satin stitch worker then.

Her husband George is censused as being born in Lambeth. He won numerous prizes in local shows in the Marlow area for flowers and fruit he had grown. He began working at Spinfield circa 1849.

Sarah Butler

Sarah was resident at the Almshouses at the time of her death in 1901 at the age of 83.

She was born to unmarried mother Ann Archer in 1817. When her daughter was 13 Ann married George White and had another child, Elizabeth. George died not long afterwards and Ann married again. It is with that second stepfather Richard Juggins that Sarah lived in 1841 along with her mother, half sister and husband Richard Butler whom she had married at the age of 17. At the time of his marriage Richard Butler himself was around 44. 

Richard and Sarah continued to live in the Dean Street area for many years (Alma Passage and Marefield). Unsurprisingly given the age gap between her and her husband, Sarah had a long widowhood. She worked then as a servant before being elected into the Almshouses in 1889.

To read more about Sarah's sister Emma and her husband who was transported see here. Sarah's grandparents Archer ran the White Hart in Chapel Street. More on them here

Ann Plucknett

Died in her almshouse in January 1892 aged 81 by which time she had been a widow for a few months short of 40 years. Her husband James (born 1810 Marlow to James and Mary) had been a baker and flour dealer of West Street (there by 1839) and after his death Ann continued to run the very small shop for a while. She thereafter lived with her nephew William Cox, Marlow's chief well sinker, before she went to the almshouse.

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day.

This is the second post about the widows of the Almshouses. The first here contains an introduction to the institution. Also see my post here on resident Rebecca Blake who was in her younger days a professional photographer. A post about another resident Sarah Evans is here.

For an index of Oxford Road related posts or of any other Street see here

To find every mention of a person of interest use the Person Index option on the drop down menu.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this material for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.

Sources: 

My census transcriptions.

Newspaper copies in British Library archives, via the BNA:

South Bucks Standard 8th March and 20th December 1901.

Death Cert.

1841 Piggots Royal National and Commercial Directory.

1839 Robson's Directory.

1847 Kelly's Post Office Directory of Bucks 

Death Registration Index, GRO.

Marlow's Own Cape Town

The exotically named Cape Town, Great Marlow sprang up by 1856 in a site off Spinfield Lane. The location was first known as Forty Green Place but had the name Cape Town by 1882. In 1895  magistrate George Higginson expressed horror that families could be allowed by the landowner William Clayton to rent the mostly two room, single storey properties which were in a disgraceful state and "unfit for habitation". Other references to the homes there suggest that they were virtually shacks. 

The site stretched over 20 acres and contained at different times between 4 and 8 residences. Though the Marlow Water Works were said to be on the edge of or within Cape Town I find no evidence of anyone living there employed at those works. It's likely that some of the shacks were originally erected for or used by the 40 navvies employed in 1884 to sink the first well and lay piping at the Chalk Pits for the Marlow water company. A variety of occupations are given for Cape Town residents - workers in the brick kiln at Bovingdon Green a short walk away, labourers at Blounts Farm ditto. Hooks Farm would also have been near. Domestic servant Isabella Mitchell censused at Cape Town in 1891 might have been a daily servant at nearby Spinfield House. Her husband had once been the gardener there. Isabella, a widow, was one of Cape Town's longest residents, present 1871 as a charwoman with her children and still there 1901. By then she lived alone. For more on Isabella see her biographical post here.

Most Cape Town households consisted of no more than two people because of each property's tiny sizes but as said above some whole families squeezed themselves in like Isabella's had done.

Also potentially working at Spinfield House were 1871 census gardeners George Roberts and James Swadling.

The local chair making industry was represented by chair seat maker Owen Blewitt. Owen was guilty of a savage attack on his wife Sarah that left her unable to walk for weeks. Her "crime" was failing to stop eating her own supper when he decided she should make him a pancake. Cape Town neighbour Mary Ann Platt came to Sarah's aid and gave evidence against Owen in court. The judge called his behaviour "unmanly". He was sentenced to 6 months hard labour, increasing to 8 months if he could not find sureties for his good conduct. Given that his personal surety level was set at £10 (plus £5 from someone else) he was going to serve the 8 months*. 

His son Owen grew up to live at Cape Town too.

Other Cape Town residents to get in trouble were husband and wife Henry and Sarah Stroud. Sarah stood accused of stealing the key to the neighbouring Stacey family's home, letting herself in with a duplicate key and taking potatoes from a sack in their bedroom, no other storage being possible in a two room home. She received a 21 day jail sentence after pleading poverty. She was suspected of having stolen potatoes in similar circumstances. Henry was jailed for stealing a huge quantity of wood (from over 100 trees!) and tree saplings from William Clayton's nearby woodland. It was his third such conviction.

The last reference I found to Cape Town was 1903 when a William Gates of that address put out ads locally for a job as a groom. I think Cape Town was probably still inhabited 1904 or even later however .

To find all mentions of someone on the blog see the Person Index option on the top drop down menu.

*Update by Kathryn - Unfortunately Owen Blewitt was convicted at least  twice more for assaulting Sarah who said she was constantly in fear of her life. Despite this, the prejudices of the time meant Sarah's application for a separation order (so she could live legally apart from her husband) was refused after the third assault in 1891. And Sarah was given the advice by magistrate Sir George Higginson to try and "do her best" with her husband so they might live peacefully going forward. She said she'd rather live in the workhouse than with him. To be fair to Sir George, he often heavily dressed down domestic abusers in court, attacking their lack of manliness, and more than once pushed for maximum penalties for the accused. Why Sarah was not given a separation order when those with fewer convictions against their abuser were is hard to say. It may be the accusations made by Owen against his wife that she often came home drunk coloured the bench against her - although her son and daughter denied ever seeing their mother drunk. 

Sources:

Census my transcription from microfilm.

Newspaper copies held by the British Library and accessed by me via the BNA October 2020: Bucks Herald 5th May 1885. Bucks Herald 26 May 1883.

Newspapers held at British Library:

Berkshire Chronicle 25th October 1884. 

South Bucks Standard Jan 22nd 1891. 

Property records in my family.